1.27.2010

Sleep. What is that?

Remember those perfect little angels we had that slept through the night oh so nicely? Well if you find them please let me know because they don't live here anymore. For the 3rd night in a row I have been awake since 3 a.m.

Why oh why did I make these changes? Well, I visited the September Mommy boards and people were talking about getting rid of the swaddling blankets and sleeping wedges. So, since all the cool Moms were doing it, I did it too. The first night without the swaddlers, aka straight jackets went well. But it has been downhill since. And then silly me decided to take away the sleeping wedges/sleep positioners. BIG MISTAKE! That didn't fly.

So tonight the wedges are coming back. They need them to feel secure because otherwise if I lay them down in the crib with nothing they won't stay asleep and move all over the place.

These two items were our lifesavers the first few months and it is NO fun getting rid of them. Oh how I wish they could stick around, but we have come this far so the blankets are staying away. They will just have to continue to wake themselves up by smacking themselves in the face because well, ummmm some smart somebody somewhere said 4 months is the right time to let them smack themselves in the head and to roll all around the crib and wake themselves up. Grrrrrrr.

So the third problem I think we are having is cereal too late at night. I love love feeding my babies so when I get home from work I like to feed them, but when I do they are full and not eating their night night big bottles. They are only taking 6 oz. at bedtime where before they were getting 8 -10 oz. That may seem good, but not when we are now adding in a 3:30 a.m. feeding. So, today is cereal in the late morning only and on days I work I will just have to miss out on it. Soon enough they will be able to eat it in the evening, but I have a feeling it has something to do with the middle of the night feedings. But who knows, maybe those evil straight jacket blankets are to blame for everything.

I am so very thankful I am off today. I will try to sneak in a nap today since I am working Thursday and Friday. If the rain cooperates, we will take a walk down to Starbucks today.

Please give me your thoughts because obviously I am clueless, horrible Mother whom is now completely sleep deprived and lost at what to do next.

10 comments:

Christina said...

Your not a horrible Mom silly! :)
We swaddled the girls for a long, long time. Its ok to do it, and if they are waking up, I would swaddle right? Its not hurting them. Abby was swaddled a lot longer than Alex. Oh, and that 3am feeding? Abby didn't let it go until 9 months. Around this age (the age your boys are at) they were down at 630pm, Alex slept until 630am, but Abby wouldn't get rid of that bottle. I just went with it.
Your doing fine!! And if things have gotten worse since giving up the swaddling, give it back. ;)
*hugs*

Two Little Bugs and a Bichon said...

Hang in there. We did well up until 4 months as well, and then something shifted. It didnt last long, maybe a week or two (I know that sounds like forever when you are living it), and then they began to sleep again. Getting 8oz at night again should help tremendously.

Meant to be a mom said...

I understand what you mean. Once they get used to a sleep pattern and you change it, well its all over after that.
Cooper is the same age as your boys and he still sleeps swaddled and with a positioner. He loves it and I don't see any reason to take it away yet. So we keep it on him. I guess soon though we have to right?
I think I heard 4 months. But its not a hazard I don't think. I mean he doesn't move.
I hope the boys start to sleep better again.

H0TG33K said...

You are not a bad mother. I am a bad mother. The only we got Rian to sleep through the night was to give him his night night bottle, keep him awake about a 30-60 minutes after and then give him two ounces of WATER. BUT that wasn't until he was 9 months old. Before then we were up ALL night with him. I know lots of people are against it and some downright hate it but have you tried giving them cereal in their bottles? I didn't do it for RIan but it always worked with Carina.

Either way everyone has their "I'm a bad mom moments" and then you realize whatever you did was best for you...so don't worry about...we are all moms in training, no matter how many kids you have!

Good luck sweety.

OH and Rian slept in a bean bag at one point. I know. Crappy mom, but he wasn't TOO mobile yet and he LOVED feeling like he was held. OH The things you do for sleep.

Just Believing said...

Look at my blog I just posted this exact same thing about my 4 and a half month old yesterday!

Its weird wqe have no idea what to do either...no swaddle she doesnt sleep but swaddled she flips over and doesnlt sleep...and the girl thinks sleep positioners are a joke cuz they dont do anything to contain her!

Check out some of the comments on my blog too

wondrafulbaby.blogspot.com

kanishk said...

if things have gotten worse since giving up the swaddling, give it back

Work from home India

Anonymous said...

The one thing I learned with my 3 boys is once you have a routine established it will change. We had many times when they would sleep through the night and then suddenly would wake up for a few nights in a row. Your never a bad mom. We always said they have no instruction book so you just go with what works for you. Use some advice and don't use some, but always remember if it is working for you it is the right thing. Love, Aunt Theresa and boys

Melani said...

All I can say is go with what works for you! If swaddling works, go with it! I never swaddled either of my kids. Never used the positioner either. Kayla started sleeping through the night around 4 months, Mykah around 3. Things change ALL the time. Doesn't mean anything about your parenting. Makayla has never slept in my bed.. ever, and she never asks. She never wakes up at night. But for a week about a month ago she woke up every night, walked in my room and wanted me to come a cover her. And one morning I woke up and she was IN my bed.
Anyways, I could share stories all night. Just go with what works sweetie.

Birdee said...

I have no advise to give, looks like your on board more than I am. My son is over 5 months old and I still swaddle him (but I never do things the way "Normal" or cool people do it - I'm the odd girl)
I am starting to unswaddle him. Starting with one arm out and the onther in, and when he wakes for a feeding in the night - I will unswaddle him because he goes back to sleep so good, so then I lay him down unswaddled (just getting him used to being unswaddled).
I will say this, My son's sleep took a poop right before he turned 4 months old. Guess what, it's normal, they are starting to teeth, did I know this? NO! I thought it was me until the other day I found a tooth and he started sleeping longer again and not waking up crying and unconsolable.
Oh and I think they hit a growth spurt too around 4 months. So yeah - I'm still sleep deprived and through all this (an his illnes) I'm sleep training him to NEED me (bad mommy!) ::sigh:: Oh well, it's still wonderful.

Elaine said...

First you are not a horrible mother!!! EVERY mother goes through things like this!!

If I were you I would give them back their blankets and sleep wedges. Why take something away from them that was working??? That is my motto with Little Bug AND the reason she was actually swaddled in the miracle blanket for nighttime sleep until 6 months and now at 8 months, she still likes it wrapped around her middle (arms/legs out)!! And that is perfectly OKAY!! If something works (especially when it has to do with sleep!) DO IT! Unless of course, there is a safety concern, which I don't think there is with your boys at this point. Some people have to wean the swaddle around 3-4 months because baby starts to roll in the crib and being swaddled and rolling can be dangerous.

Another thing I did to help Little Bug sleep longer stretches in the night was to give her a "dreemfeed". She would go to bed around 8:30pm, then around 11pm my husband would go into her nursery, pick her up out of bed and give her a bottle and then right back to bed she went. She would mostly stay asleep for that dreamfeed and it helped her to sleep until 7ish in the morning. We did that until she was around 6 months old too. So, I don't think that it is a problem that your boys need a feeding around 3am. Maybe giving them a dreamfeed around 11 would help them get to 6-7am.

Also, I do think there is a sleep regression period during 4 months. Hang in there. If that is what it is things will get better after they get past this stage.

Most importantly, don't beat yourself up over this!!!! It has nothing to do with your parenting abilities! Don't read books/internet and let that govern what you do with YOUR boys! YOU are their MOMMY and YOU know what is best for them - not some book or the internet. I had to learn that lesson as well. All first time moms do, I think :)

Step back, take a breather & ask yourself "what do my boys NEED?". If the answer is "swaddle blankets & wedge" give it to them!

Hang in there. Every mommy out there feels your pain!